Shinty club’s 2,000 miles to raise funds for MS Centre
Kilmory-Dunadd Shinty Club members put their best foot forward to walk, run and bike 2,000 miles in February - and raise a four-figure sum for a well-known Mid Argyll cause.
The MacRae Park club took on a challenge for its players and those associated with the club, or anyone who wanted to do their bit for the MS Centre in Lochgilphead, to cover 2,000 miles in less than a fortnight, on foot or by bike.
The challenge was undertaken by many in and associated with the club, from the youngest players to senior players and committee members, between February 12-25.
And they smashed their fundraising target of £1,000 to reach £1,548.63, surpassing the distance goal by covering a combined 2,266 miles.
Laurene Cameron, KilmoryDunadd club vice-president, and who is also a wellbeing development worker at the MS Centre, was delighted to say they had smashed their mileage target - raising a bumper amount of money in the process.
Laurene said: “It’s thanks to the hard work of our club and the generosity of those connected with it, and even those who aren’t from within the community, that we have managed to raise more than 50 per cent beyond our JustGiving goal of £1,000.
“One person did 189 miles on the bike - and not a static bike, but actually getting out in some truly winter weather.
“One of our young players, Andrew Laird, kickstarted the fundraising by recording his own miles and sharing it with the club on the first day of the challenge.
“I think that spurred a few people into action, including some of the adults.
“The girls’ team would meet up as a group as well, outside of training hours, to walk, run or bike and do more miles that way. We are so grateful to everyone who took part, and the centre is delighted to have been chosen as the beneficiary from the challenge this year.
“I did not know anything about it until it was announced, so my fellow committee members must have kept it from me that we were planning to raise money for the MS Centre.”
Laurene said the donation would help the MS Centre help others in Mid Argyll.
She added: “It means so much to the centre. We can organise activities and events that we might not be able to access normally.
“It will allow us to continue putting on things like the men's lunch, or the chair-based shinty we run.
“The MS Centre is charity-based so generous donations such as this one are fantastic.”